Addiction
by John Thatcher
Summary: My name is Kirigaya Kazuto, and I have an addiction. Rated T for darker themes in some parts, but don't fret! The story also contains brighter moments and recovery. Reviews/Comments/Constructive Criticism are welcome! I hope you enjoy!
1. Collision Course

**Authors Note: This first chapter is a bit short, but the rest will be at least 1k words each. I hope you enjoy! And don't forget to review/comment!**

**I do not own Sword Art Online.**

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My name is Kirigaya Kazuto, and I'm an addict.

My addiction is different from others, instead of being addicted to drugs or alcohol, I am addicted to video games. Not necessarily the games themselves, but the feeling they give me. The escape from reality is what I crave the most. The escape from my abusive grandfather, the bullies at my school, and from my life.

In the real world, I am a small, untalented, fourteen year old. But in the virtual world, I can be anything I want, do anything I want. I can take down entire armies with a single sword, explore worlds that are far from my reach elsewhere, and actually _live…_ A life without fear…

All of that began to change one day. The day I met _her_…

Her name was Yuuki… Yuuki Asuna.

It all started on a normal Wednesday afternoon. I was walking through the hallways at school. I could feel the hateful glares from the other teens as I passed by, which felt like hot plates burning into back. I don't know for sure why they hated me, but I always assumed it was because they thought I was different, an outcast.

Lost in my thoughts, I wasn't watching where I was going, and I suddenly collided with someone.

I immediately began apologizing rapidly, picking up the stuff they had dropped. Turning my head, I noticed that it was a girl. A beautiful one at that. She was about my age, had a slim figure that was covered in flawless, porcelain skin, and she had long, smooth chestnut hair.

My blood boiled as a blush covered my face. Trying to hide it, I immediately bowed my head, handing her the things she had dropped.

"Its fine", she said with a small laugh, accepting her things from me as she stood up. Her voice was pleasant to my ears, like a siren from one of my pirate games. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

I was finally able to remove most of the blush on my face before I stood up, however a small amount remained on my cheeks.

"Neither was I. I…", I began to say "I… uhh… I'll just get out your way here" I started to walk around her.

"Wait a minute", she said "You are Kirigaya right? Kirigaya Kazuto?"

I stopped in my tracks. Surprise overtook me as I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Someone actually knew who I was? And they didn't want to throw things at me? This was definitely a surprise. It must have shown on my face because her expression changed, showing a hint of embarrassment.

"Oh wow! I'm sorry, I just t-thought I had recognized you from m-math class", she stammered a little.

In order to prevent her embarrassment, I started explaining myself.

"Umm… You are right, I am Kirigaya. You just caught me off guard. I'm assuming you are new here, as you probably haven't noticed that I'm not exactly the most popular guy around"

She seemed relief, letting a small sigh.

"I thought you were him. You were the guy the teacher kept yelling at for not paying attention. You seemed to be in your own little world the whole time!" she said, giggling.

Now it was my turn to be embarrassed.

"Well, yeah, that was me", I said rubbing the back of my neck. This conversation was beginning to make me nervous, for her and for me. If people saw us talking for too long, they might begin to assume things.

"Anyways, I uhh… need to get to class… I'll see you around…" I began to say, half turning around.

"Asuna…" she said

"Huh?"

"Yuuki Asuna is my name"

"Ah… Well see you around… Asuna…"

I then quickly turned the rest of the way around and sped off to my next class, glad to be out of that embarrassingly nerve-racking conversation.

Asuna then giggled to herself.

"Well, he's a character."

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**Let me know what you think of the first chapter!**


	2. Thinking Thoughts

**Authors Note: Awesome! A favorite, five new followers, and a guest review! Thanks to you all for the support :). Well this is the start of the more darker parts of the story. As always, let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions with reviews/comments! I will try to post a new chapter every other day, so make sure you check back in often for the next chapter in the story! Just to let you know, the "~" breaks in the story mean the P.O.V has changed either to Asuna or Kazuto.**

**Also as always: I do not own Sword Art Online.**

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While I was in class, my thoughts were a jumbled mix between the video games I was soon to Dive into and that girl… Asuna… But I found it hard to focus on my games. I had even caught myself looking at her in Math class a couple of times. She was completely focused on the teacher and the work in front of her, sticking her tongue out a little in deep concentration, it was rather cute.

I was surprised with myself. Who was she? She was new, that's for sure, as she didn't seem to hate me or want to throw things at me. For some reason, I wanted to know more, maybe I should try talking to her…

"No, that's crazy", I quietly said to myself and turned to face the window next to me.

I quickly changed the subject in my mind. Eversong. The new game I had just started beta testing.

'Does Asuna play VRMMOs?' I thought to myself 'What?!' my face noticeably cringed with surprise at myself. 'Where did that come from? Of course she doesn't! She doesn't need to Dive to have fun, she is pretty enough to anything she wants'

I immediately realized that I would not be able to focus fully on my games until I actually Dived.

Thankfully at that time the bell rang. I already had my stuff ready to go, as I always do before the last bell. I snatched it all up and ran out of the class in front of everyone, trying to avoid the crowd that would soon flood the hallways.

Putting my headphones over my ears, I began the walk home. Music was one of my smaller escapes from reality. I would lose myself in the deep bass and melancholy rhythms.

Later I arrived at my home. Quietly I unlocked the front door, silently praying that my grandfather was not in the front room. Upon opening the door fully, my prayers appeared to be answered as everything was quiet. Checking both ways, I took off my shoes and stealthily ran up the stairs, stopping at the top. Breathing in my nose, I couldn't help but notice an all too familiar odor.

Alcohol.

Goosebumps immediately began to form as my skin crawled. A shiver escaped me as I nervously gulped. Listening hard, I heard the creaking of a rocking chair at the other end of the hall.

"Kazuto… Welcome home boy" a deep gravelly voice sounded.

My blood began to run cold.

"I know you're there boy… Come out and play" I could detect a sinister tone in his voice.

I slowly came around the corner. He was rocking in the chair by the window, blocking me off from my escape to the virtual world. I stood in the corner, preparing myself for the pain that was soon to follow. In one hand he had a wooden Kendo sword and in the other, he had a large bottle. He took a sip from the bottle as he stood up. Staggering a little, he began to move towards me. I blocked my torso with my arms.

In fear of someone discovering his abuse, he always ended up hitting in the back, chest, waist, legs, and unfortunately the groin. I always thought his fear was unneeded as I knew no one in the outside world would care whether or not I was abused at home.

He lifted the wooden sword. I tensed everything I had, getting ready.

He struck me mercilessly. _OVER_ and _OVER_ and _OVER_. I cried silently, hot tears fell down my face, until I ran out of tears. He kept on striking, until he could even lift his arms. He screamed at me the entire time.

"You're the reason he's gone! You are the reason my son is dead! How come you, a useless child, was able to survive that accident! And my son… My perfect son… Was killed!"

After becoming too tired to stand, he finally left me, staggering off to his room on the other side of the hallway from the chair. I remained in the fetal position for what seemed like hours.

"One day, when I'm older, I'll get him back." I said to myself. "One day"

I groaned as I slowly got up from the floor, limping to my room. I quickly locked the door, still limping to my full-sized mirror. My eyes were glazed and bloodshot. Lifting off my shirt, I saw huge, red, protruding welts all over my chest, back, and shoulders. There was no blood, but I could still see the black bruises from previous beatings beneath the new welts.

I turned my head to my desk, where the tool of my escape lay, calling out to me. The NerveGear. I grabbed it, slowly putting it on head as I laid onto the bed. Navigating the initial menu, I selected Eversong from the drop down list, connected to the server, and…

_Link Start!_

Yuuki Asuna left school with one thing on her mind. The boy she had ran into earlier in the day. Kazuto. She walked silently next to her new friends, looking at the ground, as they chatted away about a party they were having on Friday night. Kazuto seemed very nervous around me. He blushed so hard! He tried to hide it, but I could see it on his ears, they were pinker than cherry blossoms. A smile began to form at the memory.

"Asuna-san! What's so funny?" Taki asked me, an ear splitting grin on her face.

"Nothing!" I said, a little too loudly.

"Yeah right girl, I know what it is!" Tanisha interjected. "It's that Kirigaya boy everyone picks on she told us about that she literally RAN into earlier, remember Taki?!"

"Oh yeah, that's right! You _like _him don't you Asuna-san?"

"That's not what it was!"

"Then what was it?"

"I was excited about the party you are having this weekend, that's all!"

It seemed to work, cause both of their facial expressions changed.

"Oh, of course, I assume you are coming?"

"Of course she is Taki! She needs to be there so she can meet new people. Maybe even a boy! One better than that Kirigaya-chan!" she said with a sneer.

I didn't really want to go to the party, but I didn't want them to know I was thinking about the Kirigaya boy.

"Wait, when did you say the party was? Friday right?"

"Yeah, did you already forget? You can be kind of absent-minded there Asuna-san" Taki said wagging her finger.

"Oh… Well… Looks like I won't be coming… I got a lot of homework to work on!", I said as I started to run off to my home.

"But Asuna, it's Wednesday! You don't know if you have homework yet!" Tanisha yelled after me.

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**Well there you have it! Let me know what you think! :D**


	3. Under Umbrellas

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for the increased amount of reviews, favorites, and follows. It makes me feel great that you all enjoy the story as much! Please continue to do so! :)**

**I feel I must apologize on the lateness of this chapter. BUT I will make up for it as this is not the only chapter you will see today. The fourth chapter will also be posted today so be on the lookout for that later tonight!**

**Just as a reminder, things in double "quotes" is actual speech, things in single 'quotes' are thoughts, and "~" are switches in P.O.V.****As always: I do not own Sword Art Online. **

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_Thursday, February 27__th__, Kazuto's P.O.V_

The weather that met me the next day as I walked out of my home matched my current mood rather well. Clouds completely covered the sky as the rain pattered against my coat. Everyone I passed on my way to school had an umbrella, but I never bothered with having one. Despite how childish it was, it felt fitting that the rain would be falling on me, making me more miserable than usual. Even so, I inhaled deeply, sighing as I let it back out, I loved the smell and sound of the rain as it fell, it was relaxing. This day was looking out to be another boring one. Little did I know that I would be running into someone for the second time this week.

I was rounding a corner in the "richer" parts of the neighborhood, where the doctors, executives, entrepreneurs, etc. lived. The larger houses always seemed rather pointless to me. When I was to get my own place, I would get a small, cozy house in the middle of a forest, away from the cruel reality of modern society.

'That would be nice.' I thought to myself. 'I would have a small family too. Me, my wife, and maybe one or two children.' I frowned. 'What am I thinking? I'm 14, why am I thinking that far a-?'

My thoughts were interrupted as I once again felt the recently familiar of a collision with another human. This time however, it was joined with the painful smack of getting hit with an umbrella in the head.

"Ughhh" I groaned, rubbing my head. "I apologize, I wasn't payi-" Yet again I was racked with surprise as I recognized the person I ran into, a blush rushing into my cheeks. It was Asuna.

"WATCH WH-!" She had begun to yell, until she seemed to recognize me as well. "Well, hello there… Kirigaya-san right? Sorry for hitting you", she smiled sheepishly. It sure was a pretty smile.

"It's alright Asuna-san, and call me Kazuto. We really need to stop running into each other like this." I chuckled softly.

"I know right?!" she giggled. She looked me up and down and seemed confused. "Hey, uh, where is your umbrella?"

I found myself blushing again, all of sudden feeling like an idiot. "I… Well… I don't have one"

"Why not?!" her face changing to one of concern. "It's pouring out here!"

"I don't mind it, it feels good on my hair" well, that sounded better in my head.

But she didn't seem to notice as she was silent for a second, deep in thought. I couldn't tell if I was seeing things or not, but it seemed like she was blushing when she looked me in the eyes.

"Well, you're going to catch a cold! And we are going to be late for school. There's room under my umbrella, get under here." she demanded with a serious face.

I don't know what it was about that face she made, but I immediately complied, against all my characteristic reservations. There was room enough for the both of us, but just barely. Our arms touched and I shied away suddenly, as if shocked. We both turned our heads away, blushing. For that split second, I felt the warmth of her touch, even through our multiple layers of clothing. The feeling I felt afterwards was something I had never felt before, or at least in a _very _long time.

"Thanks Asuna-san." I said smiling as we started walking toward the school.

"You're welcome Kazuto-san" she replied, smiling also.

The rest of the walk to school was way less awkward than I expected it to be. I did find out that she was one grade above me and had just transferred from one of the smaller schools outside of an American military base in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Most of the walk was filled with me asking questions. Which was unlike me. Normally I am completely silent, occupied with my own thoughts about video games, but she seemed to bring out something new in me.

'Is she changing me?' I asked myself.

When we reached the gate, I turned to face her.

"Thanks again Asuna. I really appre… ahhh…ahhh…_achoo!" _I sneezed midsentence.

"You're welcome Kazuto. You see? I told you, you would get a cold, and you did!" she giggled.

"I don't have a cold, it was just one sneeze" I stuck my tongue out.

"We'll see" she said smiling. "Well, I uh… guess I'll see you in Maths class" she waved as she walked off to her first class.

"Yeah, sure" I said, heading off the other direction.

Asuna couldn't believe what had just happened. She had walked with Kazuto for the whole walk to school! Why had he said about not having an umbrella in this rain was ridiculous. Maybe he was from a poor family and couldn't afford one? Maybe she should've asked.

'No, wait, that's rude.' She reminded herself.

They had been so close together too! She had felt his warmth when their arms touched when he first got under her umbrella, and she knew deep down that she had liked it, and missed it a little. She had never felt this way after just brushing arms with a boy before. She walked into the classroom, taking her seat as she prepared her supplies for the class.

'I wonder if he felt the same thing' she thought. 'It looked he was blushing too, I saw a little red on the tips of his ears.'

Now that she thought about it, why did she tell him so much about her, when he barely said anything about himself?

"Well that's not fair" she whispered aloud. 'I'm going to have to find him again and get some information on him to even this out! What's his story? Why is he so distant? Why does he seem so awkward around me?'

She dismissed these thoughts as the teacher began to speak and she started to take her notes.

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**As always, I hoped you enjoyed the chapter, hit me with some reviews and let me know what you think! Standby for the next chapter in the next few hours.**


	4. Entering Everything

**Author's Note: More faves and follows already? You guys are the best! :D As promised, here is the second chapter for today. I hope you enjoy it!**

**As you may already know: I do not own Sword Art Online**

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_Later that day. Asuna's P.O.V_

The last bell chimed, signaling the end of the school day. With determination, I hurried past my friends hanging out near our lockers, who then showed confused glances toward me. I shrugged it off, eager to find the answers to the questions that had been bothering me all day. I searched for the always black-clad boy in the crowd, my eyes darting back and forth. I then heard what sounded like something getting dropped on the ground along with a voice.

"That's right, stay on the ground where you belong Kirigaya!"

'It's him!'

I ran toward the commotion, dodging the other kids in the hallway. What I found was Kazuto slowly getting off the ground. All of his things were scattered across the ground in front of him.

"Kazuto-san! Are you okay? Here let me help you." I quickly hopped down and started picking up the items.

"Asuna-san… you don't have to do this", he whispered under his breath with his head downcast. "Get away before someone does something to you too"

"No." I whispered back "I'm going to help you. I don't care what those people think."

"Who is this Kirigaya? You're girlfriend? There's no way, she's too pretty to hang out with an outcast like you!" it was the same voice from before.

Anger boiled within me as I handed Kazuto his things.

"Thank you again Asuna-san", he continued to whisper still facing down.

I smiled, quelling the rage within me. "You're welcome Kazuto. Wait for me by the gate okay? I want to talk to you."

His head popped up in surprise, but then quickly went back down as he stood up and walked away.

I stood up myself. "Okay, first off, jerkface, if you try to pull anything with me, you are done for. Understand? Second, you should be ashamed of yourself! Picking on Kazuto, what did he ever do to you?!" I stepped closer to the boy, who was muscular, but still was at my height. "If I hear anymore of you assaulting Kazuto again, I will personally _rip _you face off. Are we clear?"

The boy tried to hide his fear with a smile, but it all showed in his eyes. His cocky voice quivered as he said "Yeah, sure, I guess Kirigaya has to have a girl fight his battles for him. Whatever, I'm outta here." He shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked the other direction.

The crowd that had been surrounding us dispersed as I turned to walk to the gate.

I could feel the concrete surface of the gate wall tugging at my shirt as I tucked my head between my knees, holding my legs together as I sat. I couldn't help but wonder why Asuna wanted to meet me here. I could feel a red mark from where my face had hit the ground after that asshat Yokozama tripped me. It was embarrassing! I was thankful for what Asuna did, but now they are going to pick on me for having to have a girl stand up to them for me! Frustration began to build within me until a sweet voice made me snap out of it.

"Hey there Kazuto" Asuna said as she walked toward me, showing that pretty smile of hers.

"Hey", I responded, ducking my head.

"What's going on Kazuto? Why do those people attack you?" she asked concern laced with anger in her voice.

Conflict replaced the frustration that had been building within me as I tried to figure out whether or not to tell her. To tell her about my addiction, about my grandfather, about my being an outcast, just to blab it all to the first person who legitimately seemed to care about me. My eyes darted in every direction as I thought hard about it. She was someone I had literally just met yesterday, but she was the only person, outside of the occasional family member or teacher, who showed even one act of kindness towards me since I was a toddler. Finally, I said…

"It's a long story."

"Well, it's a long walk back home" she said, holding out her hand. "Come with me"

I took her hand. It was soft, smooth. An immediate rush of warmth coursed through my arm, into my brain, making it fuzzy as I stood back up. We started the walk home.

I told her everything. Everything. Once I started, it all came out like a river, almost literally as it was joined by tears, which I didn't let her see. All the while, she was completely silent, nodding every now and then as she absorbed everything. She gasped once or twice when I would talk about my parents or my grandfather. After looking around to make sure no one else was around, I even lifted up my shirt and showed her the bruises and welts from the beatings. Tears had begun to leak from her eyes at that point.

Before I knew it, we were in front of her house. We turned to face each other.

"I… I'm sorry Kazuto-san… I just wish there was something I could do to help", she said weakly as she dried her tears.

"It's okay Asuna-san, the couple of things you did for me today helped me out a lot" I said, giving a small smile.

"I had no idea. Have you not tried calling the police or anything?"

"If I did, they would just put me into adoptive housing, and some of those families are even worse than my grandfather."

"That's true, I guess"

"It's nothing for you to worry about Asuna-san. If I was you, I would just forget about me and continue as if you had never met me. I would totally understand and wouldn't blame you if you did. I don't want you to get all caught up in my mess."

"You saying that makes me angry Kazuto-kun" she said, frowning. "I am going to be here for you, no one should have to go through what you do, and I know you don't want to admit it. But I can tell you want someone to help you, to be your friend. Well, here I am." she spread her arms wide as she smiled.

She walked closer to me, blushing shyly as she embraced me.

I was completely caught off guard at her calling me Kazuto-kun. The rest of what she said _blew_ me away. I was speechless. I was completely frozen in place for a few seconds until I was able to regain control of my limbs and return the hug. I could feel more of her warmth than ever as an intoxicating happiness rose from my chest. It was the best feeling ever.

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**Let me know what you think! Favorites and follows are great, but I want to hear from you all in your own words. :)**


	5. Flirting Fireflies

**Authors Note: Well, here is Chapter 5, Flirting Fireflies. I don't know if you've noticed, even though you probably already have, but I have been using two word chapter names with the same first letter with these first five chapters. Collision Course, Thinking Thoughts, Under Umbrellas, Entering Everything, Flirting Fireflies, etc. The next chapters will be cleverly titled in a different way however. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter, as it contains a little more fluff than usual. I'm a sucker for SAO fluff. :D**

**In other news: I watched Grave of the Fireflies last Saturday, which is mentioned in the story (hence the title). It is, in my opinion, one of the saddest movies ever! I cried like a little girl during it. If you haven't seen it, I would recommend it.**

**In other, other news: Thank you for the PM suggestion to create a different break in the story for P.O.V changes (you know who you are) There is no transition in this chapter, but there will be in the next one, and I will use it then! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online, neither do I own Grave of the Fireflies.**

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_Friday, February 28__th__. Kazuto's P.O.V_

I woke up before my alarm went off. I took a look at my phone, the brightness of the screen hurting my eyes. The time was blurry, but I was able to see that it was 5:23 a.m. The surprising thing was that I felt great, despite only getting around 5 hours of sleep. A feeling I only felt when buying new games enveloped me as I lay there, _excitement_. My felt chest felt lighter than ever as I got dressed, taking a little extra care to look better than usual.

"Yeah, she's definitely changing me" I said to myself, smiling slightly as I my own question from a couple of days ago.

The chilly air from outside hit me when I opened the door. My breath formed small clouds in the air as I walked to the intersection where I would try to meet Asuna. One of my new songs came through my headphones. I inhaled deeply as the music built, then exhaled slowly as the beat dropped, a smile forming on my face.

This new feeling was great. Instead of walking around with my shoulders slumped and looking at the ground, I walked straighter, looking forward.

'This must be what it's like to have a friend.' I thought to myself. 'That's a really sad thought'

I could see the intersection in the distance. Her slim silhouette was already there, leaning against the wall. I ran the rest of the way to her, taking off my headphones as I did.

"Asuna-san! Good morning!" I said enthusiastically.

The girl took off her own headphones, turning toward me, surprised.

"Oh, good morning Kazuto-kun! I'm glad you actually came to meet me!" She smiled. Her smile always made my heart beat a little faster every time.

"You ready for today?" I asked.

"What's so special about today?" she asked curiously.

"Nothing special, just ready for the day"

"Wow, you seem more upbeat than ever today Kazuto!" Her smile grew.

She was right. It was weird, normally I'm never this upbeat for some normal day. I really liked this feeling. I secretly hoped to myself that it could be like this every day, but I knew, that it would only last until she found a boyfriend or something. The thought caused me to frown, but I turned it back into a smile.

'Just be glad for the time that you have', I told myself inwardly as we started to walk toward the school.

She seemed to have caught the frown, because she did the same.

"What's wrong Kazuto?"

"Oh, nothing." I said, shrugging it off.

The answer did not seem to satisfy her, so I quickly added:

"I'm just a little nervous for a test I have today in History class"

She hesitated, but soon enough, her smile returned. "Well I'm sure you will do fine" She encouraged.

"So what did you do yesterday after school?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Oh my god! I watched the saddest movie ever yesterday! I watched Grave of the Fireflies and I cried like 7 times during the whole thing. Don't get me wrong, it was a great movie, but it was _SO SAD_. My friends told me that I would cry, but I was all like "No I won't! I'm tougher than that!" but then I did and I felt like a little child" she said.

I had seen the movie myself, being an anime lover myself, and I hated to admit it (even to myself), but it made me cry also. Of course I wasn't going to tell Asuna that I had cried too, but:

"I've seen it too, it really was sad, but I didn't cry"

"You have no heart if you didn't cry during that movie!" she yelled, awestruck.

A chord strummed in my heart, the one I knew I had. I didn't want her to think I didn't have a heart!

"Hey! I have a heart, I totally cried, I bawled my eyes out for the entirety of it!" I admitted truthfully.

She laughed at that point, "I knew it! You totally cried too!" She stopped laughing "But that's okay, men should be able to admit their emotions. It's a part of being more mature." Her smile was still shining.

I stared at her, dumbfounded. She was definitely wiser than her years, that's for sure. I thought she was going to make fun of me for it, but instead she turned into a sort of life lesson. She was completely different from every other teenager I had ever met. Being the quiet one I was, I always heard the drama between everyone else, thinking in my mind how they had no right to complain. Especially when their problems could be solved so easily with small adjustments, either to their personality or their lifestyle.

However, I always kept it to myself. They didn't deserve help if they weren't even going to try to fix it themselves. Not to mention it was the same problems over and over, and no one bothered to try something different, except for a rare few. I had once heard a quote, something along the lines of "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results". I would always scoff when I was reminded of it and then think to myself 'And they think I'm the crazy one?'

But she was different. She seemed to think exactly I would like others to.

"Kazuto! Stop staring!" Asuna said sternly, blushing like mad.

I snapped out of my deep thoughts, finally realizing that I had been staring the whole time. I blushed hard myself as I turned to look away, noticing that were getting close to the school gate

"Sorry Asuna-san. I was just… never mind" I said.

"Just… what Kazuto-kun?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity again.

"Just… Well… I guess you'll find out if you can catch me!" I yelled as I took off running toward my first class, laughing. "I see you after school! Same place okay?!"

It was then, I realized that I was probably falling… Falling for her.

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**As always, reviews, comments, criticism, etc. are welcome! I hope you enjoyed, I will see you again the day after tomorrow! :)**

**Also I will try to personally respond to all reviews, PM either through "reply review" or through PM so be on the lookout for those!**


	6. Unspeakable

**Author's Note: Well, I owe all of you an apology. I promised an update every day and if I didn't, I would make up for it. But alas, I am unable to catch up for now. Over the course of the last five days, I'm not going to lie, I was in a very dark place myself. My normally very happy self was completely shattered for the past few days. However, I am recovering slowly, and I was able to recover enough to update today. Also, I have decided to put a new update policy into place. Looking back, as my writing has more mistakes than I can be comfortable with, I will be updating once every three days (update, wait two days, update again). One day to write, one day for editing, then post the next day (which is what I should have done in the first place). This policy will start after this update.**

**Now, this chapter is going to take a dramatic drop, much like the one I had, I hated writing the last part, but I needed to for the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter though! As always, comments, reviews, PMs, suggestions, etc. are very much welcome, and I will still be trying to reply to all reviews and PMs personally!**

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_Time skip to Saturday, August 23rd. Kazuto's P.O.V._

For the next six months, Asuna and I did the same thing. We walked together to and from school, and even began talking on the phone on the weekends. We had become great friends. I was the happiest I had been in years, maybe even out of my entire life! Over the course of the six months, a nagging thought in the back of my mind was 'This is too good to be true. I have to be dreaming or she has to be playing me.' But I never woke up from the "dream" and she never even showed the slightest hint of toying with me.

It was weird at first, adjusting to this newfound happiness, but I grew used to it and I enjoyed every moment of it to the fullest. This was because, despite the lack of it ending, I never wanted it to end.

'Oh yeah' I thought to myself, smiling slightly. 'Not to mention even the bullying in school has died down to just a select group of assholes'

One of the best things about her was that she _understood_. She understood my addiction and didn't try to immediately get me off of it cold turkey. At first, when I confessed about it, I thought she was going to try to cut me off completely all at once. But she didn't.

'Maybe she knows about how addictions really work. Maybe one of her family members had a problem, or maybe… what if she had one herself?'

I dismissed the thought. The idea of her even having a problem like this was absurd, she was such a strong person, even if it would connect the dots in my head.

As I sat there in my windowsill, watching the rain fall, a smile remained on my face. The past me from before I met Asuna would be completely dumbfounded by the way I've been acting lately. There was always a skip in my steps, a smile on my face, and a lightness to my chest. My life has almost been completely turned around.

It seemed, that with Asuna's help, I… We… Managed to rid me of my problem. My _addiction._ I no longer felt like I needed to escape from reality. As long as I was by her side, I felt… had almost literally saved my life. That was because, no matter how much I did not like to think about it. I had, multiple times, thought about ending my own life. I had come so close to it to. I could still feel the cold steel of the knife on my wrist, and the barrel of my grandfather's pistol on my temple.

Just thinking about those moments made me shudder. But that was the past. I needed to focus on the here and now, which was really good at the moment. I did not want to ruin it with thinking of the past.

There was only one problem… My bastard for a grandfather. I had a plan in place, it would take some time, but it would be worth it.

_Asuna's P.O.V_

The last seven months could _not_ have gone any better.

I reflected on these last seven months as I lay in my bed, smiling to myself. The moments from when I first got here until now; meeting Kazuto-kun (which is one of my most laughable moments ever!), hanging out with all my friends, doing school events, all these fun times I've had. I couldn't quite believe it. I was so happy to learn that my family was moving away from Yamaguchi, away from all those… monsters.

My mind suddenly went dark. I began to shiver violently, gripping myself tight, as an unnatural chill blew through my entire body.

A nightmare unfolded before my eyes, the same nightmare I had been having for more than a year.

I couldn't move, the same as always. Always meant to watch, never able to interfere, never able to stop the terrible events that happened that night.

The sky was clear and bright, the air was warm, a beautiful, sickening irony as I walked home from the library. I clutched my new books to my chest, excited to get home so I could get started reading. I came across a dark alley. I knew it was a shortcut to my house. My mom's voice rang through.

"You know not to go through those dark alleys downtown, there might be killers in them! Especially on weekends, because you the drunken you-know-whats come out around that time."

Usually I would listen and just go the longer way home, but I was too excited, and besides, it was only 10 o'clock. Unfortunately, I had forgotten it was a Friday night.

So, I nonchalantly began to walk down the alley as I read the summary of one of the books in my arms. Taking a look up, I saw them.

There were three men on the other side of the alleyway, under one of the street lights, the smell of alcohol was pungent.

I was gripped by fear. I quickly slammed by body against the wall, hoping to avoid their detection. I silently prayed that they would move on and not see me. As if the Devil himself was the one that heard my prayer, one of them turned to spit to the side, and spotted me.

Their mouths moved excitedly, I do not remember their exact words, but before I could move, they were already surrounding me. They all had menacing haircuts that were faded on the sides, and they wore collared shirts that were way too tight. It was then that I knew they were the ones that my mother had warned me about.

I constantly screamed "No!" and "Go away!" as I threw punches everywhere. A couple of them hit, only having the effect of angering them. One of them slapped me so hard that I span and fell on my back, knocking the wind out of me.

Before I could catch my breath, I felt my clothes being torn off. Once I had my breath back, I tried to scream, but a hand covered my face. In the distance, between them, I could see another group of five of them. They saw what was happening and ran toward us. Fortunately, before the first group could have their way with me, the second group began to pull them off of me.

Three of the second group had begun to fight the original three, while the other two covered me with their jackets, carrying me away, and the other one calling the police/medics.

My vision began to blur as the nightmare ended. I slowly opened my eyes, finding myself sprawled on the floor. Soaked with cold sweat, I tightened into a fetal position as I silently sobbed. Tears fell down my face as I rocked back and forth.

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**Thank you all for your support! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	7. Happy

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! :D As promised, here is the new chapter. I was able to make it an (almost) double length chapter! The next couple of chapters are going to be on a happier note than last time. What a doozy huh?!**

**Anyways, as always: I do not own Sword Art Online, and reviews, comments, criticism, all that other crazy stuff is welcome! Thanks all! I hope you enjoy the chapter :)**

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_Later. Asuna's P.O.V_

As I laid there, I heard a slight vibration coming from my desk. I wiped my eyes as I slowly rose from the floor, wondering who could be calling me. Checking the caller ID, I noticed a familiar name…

Kazuto-kun…

I didn't want him to hear me like this. I had just recently got him to the point where he's not always frowning at everything. Besides, he must never find out, no one can find out about that…

"He-*ahem* Hello?" I answered casually.

"Hey Asuna-san. How are you?" He replied from the other end. I was relieved, it seemed like he didn't suspect anything.

"I'm good thanks!" I lied. "What about yourself Kazuto-kuuuuuuuuuuuun?"

"Hehe. I'm great! But uhhh, hey uhhhh, listen. I was just wondering if you were going to busy later today?

The question caught me off guard. Normally it was me calling Kazuto to try to get him out of his house and to keep him from his video games and moping around. 'I wonder what he has planned', I thought.

"I have to do a few chores still, but I should be free by around 4, why do you ask?" I asked coyly. My mood was improving already.

"Why do you think silly? It's a surprise though, so be expecting me around 5 okay? I'll pick you up."

"Pick me up? Are we going on a date?!" I teased.

As expected, I could practically hear him blushing through the phone.

"Yes! Uhh I mean, no! No! It's not a date… just a well… I see you at 5, bye!"

-CLICK-

"He hung up on me!" I said as I laughed. My quick change of mood just because of a simple phone call from Kazuto amazed me.

"Well, I'd better get ready!" I said cheerfully as I hopped up to take a shower. I skipped excitedly to the bathroom adjacent to my room as I wondered what the surprise could be.

_Kazuto's P.O.V_

"It's not a date…" I said grumpily to myself. '…But I wish it was' I finished in my mind. I had never really considered dating anyone in my 15 years of living. I mean, of course I had crushes, but to be honest, the ones I had with female VRMMO characters or movie actresses were more like to end up with anything happening than of my real life ones. "Sad huh?" I asked aloud to no one, chuckling slightly at the silent reply my irony.

I mean what is the point in even thinking about it when every girl you know is a total bitch to you? But then again, Asuna was so different, and so much better than those other girls. I would love to date her, but I don't want to ruin the friendship we were building. And what if she didn't think about me in the same way?

'That's the worst part' I thought as a stabbing pain racked my heart and then disappeared as quickly as it came. Honestly, being 15 years old, I thought way too much into the future.

The thoughts of actually being with her were just amazing. I could already see us in a few years. I would ask her to marry me, her saying yes. I would probably cry, and probably so would she, in joy. She would look absolutely beautiful in a traditional Japanese wedding kimono, or a western style white gown. The very thought of it built up excitement in me. The idea scared me, but I had even had a dream where we had a beautiful daughter with raven colored hair. I would then wake up in tears of happiness just…

"Ugh!" I yelled, shaking my head violently, "Focus on the now, instead of the things that only happen in stories and fairy tales!"

I then started getting ready for tonight. Swiping through the list of music on my phone, I went for the effect of a goofy movie montage. Fortunately, my grandfather was gone for the next two days, so I plugged it into my surround sound, blasting it through the whole house.

As the music played, I took a shower, brushed my teeth, combed my hair into many different styles until finally I just decided to brush it to straighten up the messiness. For my clothes, I picked out a black button-up shirt, faded jeans, and black loafers. I liked the color black.

For once in as long as I can remember I looked really nice. Ever since Asuna came along, I had been taking better care of myself, and felt really good to put forth the effort for someone special.

Looking at the clock on my headboard, it said 4:45. Excitement built in me as I walked through the house, down to the garage. Leaning on the far wall of the garage was a mass covered in cloth. I gripped the cloth as a smile spread on my face. Ripping it off to reveal a shiny new motor scooter I had "invested in" with my father's money left to me.

I climbed on, igniting the engine, toying with the throttle. My heartbeat doubled and adrenaline pumped through my veins. I slowly backed out of the garage into the road, the engine roared as I took off down the road.

I reached Asuna's house five minutes before 6. Despite my confidence prior to arriving, I was nervous for some reason. Butterflies weren't just fluttering in my stomach, they were dogfighting. My knees wobbled slightly as I walked up the path to the large, very fancy house. I had been on the street outside the house to wait for Asuna before, but I had never actually gone up to the house itself.

'What if one of her parents answers the door?' I thought as I flinched before ringing the doorbell. I looked down at the ground, shuffling my feet as I waited. After a minute, I heard footsteps heading toward the door. I looked up as I heard the click of the lock. What met my eyes at that moment would remain with me for the rest of my life.

Standing in the doorway, was Asuna. A weird feeling burst from my chest. Her hair was shiny, smooth, and straight, like a chestnut waterfall. Her skin was radiant. The red dress she was wearing was simple and beautiful, but casual, complimenting the shape of her body. It didn't show off a lot of skin, just enough to ignite male curiosity.

But her eyes. Her eyes were mesmerizing, like I could dive right into them and swim forever. It was li-

"Kazuto-kun!" I heard, interrupting my thoughts.

"So I'm guessing you like it huh?" Asuna said giggling as she twirled.

I was speechless.

"O- Of course I do! You look… beautiful" I said honestly, blushing madly.

A blush rose up her cheeks as she ducked her head. "Thank you Kazuto-kun. I'm ready to go when you are done gawking at me!" she said, her giggle rising into a laugh.

She then showed a look of confusion.

"Wait a minute… Did you walk here?" she asked.

"Nope", I replied with a sly smile, pointing toward the street.

"Wh-" She looked around me at my motor scooter. "Whoa!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth. "You drove a scooter here?!"

"It's not a scooter! It's a motorcycle!" I interjected as we walked toward the street.

"Okay there, Kazuto-kun, whatever floats your boat as Americans say"

I had opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Reaching the scooter, I lifted up the seat, grabbing the extra helmet and handing it to her.

"Safety first" I said with a smile and wink.

"Thanks" she said as she tried to put it on. She was struggling at first with the chin strap, sticking out her tongue in concentration and frustration. It was one of the cutest things I'd ever seen.

I pulled out my phone and quickly snapped a picture of it. The phone was on vibrate, so no shutter noise was made. She appeared to not have noticed.

"Here, let me help" I said as I reached for the straps. My fingers lightly grazed her face, sending an electric shock up my arms. Her skin was as soft to the touch as it looked to the eyes. The blushes we'd had earlier returned with force, turning even brighter red.

"Your hands are cold Kazuto-kun…" she whispered.

My skin prickled as I swallowed hard. The way she had said my name just then was… exhilarating, making my hard pound.

"*Ahem* Well, hope on!" I said, clearing my throat.

We both mounted the scooter… I mean motorcycle… Hehe and adjusted ourselves into the seat.

_Asuna's P.O.V_

I could still feel the areas on my face when Kazuto had touched them. Now we were about to go off to only he knows where on his "motorcycle" he called it. It was like a scene straight from a movie.

It was exciting to say the least. A romantic evening ride through the town (my first time riding mind you), with a _boy_ (also a first). Granted, I knew Kazuto didn't think of this as a date. However, I also knew that one day, he would confess to me, and I would also, but only then.

He liked me, I knew it. I liked him, but I don't think he knows. All that needed to happen was for him to see my hints through that rather dense skull of his!

The ride continued as I thought about this. Looking around to his face, I saw that he had a huge smile. I was so glad that he was a lot better than before. It was the smile of someone who was enjoying freedom for the first time, not a care in the world.

I decided to make a move. Slowly, so as not to scare him, I wrapped my arms around his waist. I failed. I felt his entire body tense, causing him to turn the throttle slightly, jumping us forward. An excited scream escaped the both of us as the front wheel lifted slightly off the ground. That moment, my heart had skipped. After revering from the scare, we burst out laughing as I rested my head onto his upper back.

_Kazuto's P.O.V_

A little bit after the slight jump, we arrived at our destination. The smell of Western-style food assaulted my nose, causing my mouth to water. I could tell the same was happening to Asuna as she kept on the sniffing the air deeply.

"Kazuto! Is this what I think it is?!" she asked excitedly, gripping my arm.

"Well, if you're thinking it's a restaurant, you are correct!" I replied jokingly.

"I know that dummy! I'm talking about the sound! It's a jazz restaurant!" she yelled as she ran for the entrance, leaving me trailing behind. "Hurry up Kazutooooooo!" And you had better dance with me!" she demanded.

The thought of dancing with her made my nervousness fire up again, but this night was for her. So, her wishes, whatever they were, were considered granted as far as I was concerned. Rising my chin up, I followed walked through the door after her.

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**Again thanks for all your support! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	8. Birthday

**Author's Note: Okay, this chapter is a little bit shorter than a normal chapter, still reached my goal of at least 1k words per chapter. After the multiple reviews and pm's I have received, I have decided to officially make my chapters longer on the weekends, so be on the lookout for that! Thank you all for the reviews, pm's, and all that good stuff :) I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**As Always: I do not own Sword Art Online.**

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_Asuna's P.O.V_

The few hours we spent in the restaurant went by way too quickly. Despite Kazuto not being able to dance well, I could tell that he was trying, and he was having a good time doing it too. He had started out acting shy, barely moving at all. But after a while, and after recognizing one of the songs, he had started to basically just flail his limbs around, having the time of his life. Neither of us lost the huge smiles on our faces.

I decided to go outside and get some air, as I felt warm, and I was getting sweaty. By the time we had decided this, we had been dancing for a couple of hours, and I was covered in a light sweat. We both walked outside, hand in hand, laughing and breathing hard. I let go of Kazuto's hand so I could walk to the railing of the balcony, to look up at the starry night sky.

"It's beautiful out here", I said quietly.

"Just like you…" I barely heard Kazuto say.

"Wh- What did you say?" I asked, surprised. That was when a chilly breeze blew over me. I shivered, trying to rub my arms to warm up, but to no avail. Kazuto seemed to notice this as he walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my body, trapping my arms and pressing his body against me.

I blushed madly as he drew his head back to look me right in the eyes. Looking into those onyx eyes, I felt my legs turn to jelly and my heart flutter. My face was burning as I felt the warmth of his body against mine.

"I said, just like you… It's beautiful out here… just like you." he repeated, starting off shaky, but I could hear his confidence rising as he went on. "Asuna, I just wanted to say thank you. For everything you've done for me. You have no idea of the effect your kindness has had on me. I will never to repay you for it… But believe me when I say, _I will be trying to for the rest of my life_."

I gasped. There was so much emotion behind his voice, I felt tears begin to form at the corners of my eyes as he continued.

"My entire life has been filled with darkness, an overwhelmingly cold, bitter darkness that could only be blocked by escaping to the virtual world. _No one_ had even the slightest inkling of kindness that you have, you basically saved my life, at the risk of your own happiness. You are easily the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. So, with that being said, Happy Early Birthday Asuna!" he said with a huge grin on his face.

Surprise completely overtook me, as I gasped even harder. I had never told him when my birthday was! A small part of me told me to be creeped out. However, I couldn't believe that he had done this for my birthday! It was one of the best birthday gifts I had ever received. Tears of happiness began to freely flow down my face. 'Damn my girliness!' I thought to myself.

It was Kazuto's turn to be surprised. "What's wrong Asuna?" he voice filled with concern as his smile turned into a grimace at the sight of my tears.

"Nothing's wrong dummy! I'm really glad that you did this for me! These are tears of happiness." I replied quickly, wanting to see that smile of his again.

To my great joy, his smile did return. "And this is just the start! I am forever in your debt, whatever you need, no matter what it is, you will receive." As his smile turned into a face of total seriousness, looking deep into my eyes as tears formed in his, he said "If someone ever harms a hair on your head, I _will _destroy them."

I could tell that he meant it too.

"Well, I'm not sure that is really needed there Kazuto-kun", I said with a slight smile, giving him a thumbs up. "I'm pretty tough myself you know" I winked.

He fell silent for a few seconds as he continued to stare into my eyes. 'My god, those eyes are going to be the death of me' I thought to myself.

"Well then. Now that we've got that set-", he started to say, but fell silent again as he seemed to hear something. I listened myself, hearing the sound of a slow dance song. He finally loosened his arms around me as he took a step back.

The look he gave me then was a look of determination as he reached out his hand.

"May I have this dance m' lady?" He asked with the worst posh accent I have ever heard.

"Of course you may" I replied in an equally terrible accent. I giggled.

He led me onto the dance floor, which was filled with other couples dancing romantically. There was even a few older fathers dancing with their daughters. The sight made me imagine Kazuto dancing with a younger girl with long raven colored hair.

"Come on Asuna! I'm pretty sure I've got this one down." He said excitedly as he took one of my hands, and put the other one on my waist, making the image disappear. I put my feet on top of his as to prevent any embarrassment to him if he stepped on my feet.

We began to dance once again. His movements matched perfectly with mine he lead us through the motions. For what seemed like the three hundredth time, I was surprised.

"Where did you learn this Kazuto?!" I whispered awestruck.

He shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I watched a lot of videos on how to do this over the past few days." He said blushing.

At that point, for the second time that day, I decided to make a move. Crossing my fingers mentally, hoping that it wouldn't cause anything bad.

I removed my feet from the top of his. Our movements matched perfectly through the motions. After a few seconds of this, I dug up the confidence to lean my head into his chest. I sighed with content.

This was the best early birthday gift. Ever.

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**Please let me know how you liked the chapter! It makes me happy to see emails in my inbox from this site! :D**


	9. Love

_L__ater – Asuna's House – Kazuto's P.O.V_

I cut the engine and kicked out the stand on my scooter.

"We're here Asuna", I said quietly, lightly touching her hand.

She lifted her head off my back. "Darn", she sighed.

I chuckled as I took her hand to lead her up to the door. We walked as slowly as possible in order to preserve the moment. I could've lived this night over and over for the rest of my life and I wouldn't have a single complaint.

We reached the door, turning toward each other. Looking into her eyes, a sudden thought captured me. 'What should I do now?' I hadn't even planned what I would do at this moment. I could feel my hands begin to sweat as my nerves built. My entire mind was blank. Inside my mind, I was freaking out, barely able to keep it in.

But that was when it happened.

Asuna had made the choice for me as I felt my lips being pressed against hers forcefully.

We both gasped, she was even surprised by what she had just done. But we both closed our eyes, giving in to the kiss. It was a simple one, but I could feel my surroundings melt around me as sparks filled my mind, completely removing my nerves and replacing them with endorphins. I gripped her arms and pulled her tighter against me. I could feel her heart pounding furiously along with mine, increasing bit by bit as if they were racing, literally.

It was at that moment that everything thing seemed to fall into place. I knew that I wanted to spend of my life with her, I would become strong to protect her from anything, and I would care for her. I knew that I would do anything in my power to make her mine, it sounded selfish, but I couldn't imagine my life without her. I had only known her for almost a year, but a world where she wasn't going to be mine wasn't worth living in.

She was the one to pull away, reluctantly. I opened my eyes to find her beautiful face looking at her feet, blushing for the umpteenth time that night. My cheeks were burning furiously so I knew I was too.

"Wow" was all she could manage.

"Wow" I agreed with a smile. "Asuna?"

"Yes Kazuto-kun?" she asked, curious.

"I'm just to say it…" I started.

_ Asuna's P.O.V_

My heart was still racing from the kiss, I had no idea what I thinking at that point to be the one to initiate it. All I knew was that I wanted him to know just how much I cared for him, and what better way to do it right?

But then, he said the words that I never saw coming.

"… Asuna, I know it might be a bit soon for this, and I don't know if you have realized this. But, I like you. A lot. So much that it hurts physically in my chest when I think of you being with someone other than me. Any world that I can imagine where I'm not with you, is a world that I do not want to exist in. So I'm going to ask you this, and please don't just say yes because of tonight, or because you are afraid of what I will do if you say no, just be honest with me…"

I could not believe what I was hearing, I had already seemed to lose the ability to breathe because of the touching words he was saying. I was afraid I would pass out if he didn't stop talking so I could breathe.

"… I will tell you one thing though. I know that I _will_ do everything in my power to be with you. I will become strong enough to destroy any threat to you. I will become successful enough in life to support you to where you wouldn't have to worry about anything. Just give me a chance Asuna. I love you… Would you be mine?..."

He loves me? Extreme happiness overtook me, but then an infinite amount of thoughts began to circulate through my head, I thought about my past, I thought about what was happening at this very moment, and I thought of all the possible future outcomes of what my answer would be. Almost everything I saw in the future of me saying yes made me extremely happy, and I knew if I said no Kazuto _would end his life_. But then:

'It's simple.' I thought to myself. My grandma told me once I reached this age, that if a boy were to come into my life, it this kind of choice was presented to me, then all I had to do to find the answer was to ask myself one question. "Can I live without him?" If I couldn't, then I should be with him, if I could, then I needed to cut the string and let him go. Imagining my life without him, it seemed bleak, cold, and painful. Would I kill myself without him like he would? Yes. I would. I knew I loved him too

The answer came out of me before I had even fully realized it in my mind.

"I love you too Kazuto-kun", I said with tears streaming down my face "And yes, I will be yours." I knew it was the right answer.

_Kazuto's P.O.V_

I was completely stunned. Numb to my very core. I literally pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Despite that, my klutzy-self did this:

"Asuna? Am I dreaming?" I asked dazedly.

At first, the look on her face was a mix between happiness at what had just happened but total confusion at what I had just said. The confusion went away as she replaced it with the cute laugh that melted my heart every time.

"No Kazuto darling, you aren't dreaming, see?" she said slightly as she pecked me on the cheek.

I felt feeling return to me from where she had kissed me then. Overwhelming joy took over as I kissed her forehead and ran off to my scooter before either of us could change our mind, quite literally jumping for joy as I made my way down the walkway.

"Thank you Asuna, you won't regret it! I will make sure of it! I'll call you when I get back home!" I yelled as I started the engine and took off.

_Asuna's P.O.V_

"Did he just do that?" I asked out loud, dumbfounded. I took a look down the road, expecting him to turn right around and come back, but fortunately he didn't. I didn't think I could handle any more. I shook my head and giggled as I walked through the door.

"This is definitely the best early birthday I've ever had" I said for the second time that night.

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**Thank you and I love you all! :D I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 3**


	10. Saving

**Author's Note: Well, here it is, the second chapter for my Double Chapter Weekend, and also the Penultimate Chapter for Addiction. There is one more chapter after this one, and then it's on to continuing the story in my new series "Saving Me".**

**As Always: I do not own Sword Art Online, AND all reviews, criticisms, PMs and what not are welcomed! I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

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I stood in front of the mirror. What I saw amazed me. I had taken a photograph of myself a couple of nights after that promise I had made to Asuna. I had looked at myself inward, outward, all over that night, unimpressed by what I saw. I immediately implemented a plan to create a balance for my body, and much like the character creation in the VRMMOs I used to play, I was able to create a well-rounded image of myself. In that balance, I would make real on that promise. I would become strong enough to protect her from any threat, I would love her unconditionally, and set myself up for making a good life for us.

I did all the research I could on well-roundedness, and basically what I came up with was I needed to work on mind, body, and soul. I created a simple daily routine to improve all of these aspects. Studying hard, and increasing my knowledge in common matters that all men should now for the mind aspect. I went to gym and exercised constantly, using a set of aids called "stacks" in the bodybuilding world to aid muscle growth and power output, along with implementing a healthier diet than I was used to. I also took up kendo in order to instill discipline and a warrior mindset into me for the physical side. As for the soul side, well I had been focusing a lot on improving my skills as a boyfriend to Asuna (to be honest, I had even began to delve into how to create a skillset for the "bedroom" in the future).

The thought made me blush.

Shaking my head, I got my mind back on track. In order to help with progress, I had created a journal, taking a picture of myself and reviewing my actions once a month. The product this had created was beyond what I imagined. I looked like one of those guys on one of those romance novels with their shirts off, like one of those action movie stars who were buff and got all the girls.

Lately, I could feel like I could do anything, I had felt _good_. My confidence had increased tenfold, I walked taller, head held higher. Although, a major fluke in this new body of mind, along with my teenage mind, was the unbelievable increase in testosterone and tension whenever I saw Asuna. When she kissed me, it was really hard to hold back my primal instincts, but amazingly, I was able to.

She had seemed to notice and enjoy it, thinking it was "rather cute" of me. She even went as far as to try seducing me enough to where I had to blast my head against the wall to get my mind off of it. She would just giggle and say "What's wrong Kazuto-kuuuuuun? Is someone getting a little excited?" in the most seductive way possible.

On that note, however; despite this, I couldn't help but notice that whenever one of those moments where we were alone in the dark, just looking into each other's eyes, I could see a hint of fear in her eyes. 'What is she scared of?' I would ask myself. I had even brought it up to her once, she just shrugged it off, saying "I haven't done… _it_… before and you haven't done it before, why wouldn't I be a little nervous and reluctant about it?"

Part of her response made sense, and I would normally just let that pass, but I couldn't help but wonder if something in her past had created this.

_Something in her past?_

Then it hit me. Those few years ago, I had asked myself, what if she had a problem like I did? What if it had to do with something about _that._

She had once told me about where she had come here from previously, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture. There was an American Marine air station there. She had told me most of the American Marines were rude drunkards and would sometimes, rarely come into the town and mess with the natives. I vaguely remember her telling me a story where a group of them had rented a van, _raping_ and eventually _murdering_ a 12 year old girl. What if she had been a rape victim of those American Marines too?

I could see the scene very vividly. The gruesome imagery in my imagination cause me to shake with anger. A wrath-inducing hate formed in me, bubbling from my stomach, creating the taste of bile in my mouth.

I had to know the truth. I couldn't help her with this if she wouldn't tell me about it. However, what if I brought up too many bad memories and she broke down in front of me? I would feel terrible.

No. I had to. I have to protect her. I promised her.

That's it, I'll ask her about it after we go trick or treating tonight.

_ Meanwhile – Asuna's P.O.V_

I hummed quietly to myself as I changed into my costume for trick or treating tonight with Kazuto. It was rather cliché, but I was going as a witch. Not one of those slutty witches mind you, but a contemporary, more-cute-like witch. I had the hat, large lenses-less glasses, robe, boots, and even a wood wand. It was so cute looking! It reminded me of those British witches in those movies.

"Okay!" I exclaimed excitedly as I out the door to our usual meeting spot.

_Kazuto's P.O.V_

I rounded another corner on my way to the place me and Asuna meet before walking to school.

I knew she would notice that something was up if I didn't remove these thoughts from my mind, so I took a deep breath and forced myself to think about all the candy we were going to get. Was a little old to be excited for this? I didn't think so, I mean really, what kid (or adult for that matter) doesn't love free candy?

The two of us had decided on matched witch and wizard costumes for tonight, so I was dressed in black robes, with a leathery pointed hat and I held a spell book.

'Maybe I could go through this first part of tonight without suspsicion' I thought to myself, smiling.

I rounded the last corner to where I could almost see the meeting point, when I heard a commotion. I could hear a girls voice, seemingly frightened, along with multiple male voices and the scuffling of feet.

"NO! GET AWAY!"

I recognized the voice instantly.

* * *

**Yup, a cliffhanger, but I'm pretty sure ya'll have an idea of what's about to happen. However, that being said, surprises are warranted in this case, so be ready!**


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